1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in a disk carrier device of a disk player which carries a disk using a carrier roller.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the disk carrier device of the disk player, there is one type, as shown in FIG. 1, in which a disk 3 is clamped between a guide roller 1 and a carrier roller 2, and is carried by the rotation of the carrier roller 2. However, if the disk 3 is clamped between the rollers 1 and 2, there is the possibility that the recording plane of the disk 3 may be soiled or damaged due to a contact with the roller. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, it is proposed to protect the recording plane of the disk 3 in such a manner that a guide roller 4 and a carrier roller 5 are made to have a tapered surface with the diameter of these rollers becoming smaller from the opposite ends towards the center, and the peripheral edge of the disk 3 is clamped by the tapered surfaces of these rollers 4 and 5 (Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 4-71267).
In this case, for example, the carrier roller 5 is energized towards the guide roller 4 by an energizing member to resiliently clamp the disk 3. However, since the disk 3 has a circular shape, the contact position in the rollers 4 and 5 with the disk 3 changes with the transport of the disk 3, and the space between the both rollers 4 and 5 also changes. That is, when the both rollers 4 and 5 clamp the edge of the disk 3, as shown by a solid line in FIG. 3, the small diameter portions of the rollers 4 and 5 come in contact with the disk 3, and hence the space between the rollers 4 and 5 becomes narrow. When the rollers 4 and 5 clamp the central portion of the disk 3, as shown by a virtual line in FIG. 3, the large diameter portions of the rollers 4 and 5 come in contact with the disk 3, and hence the space between the rollers 4 and 5 becomes wide.
Also, when clamping a small diameter disk, the space between the rollers 4 and 5 becomes narrow, and when clamping a large diameter disk, the space between the rollers 4 and 5 becomes wide.
As described above, when a roller having a tapered surface is used, the space between the rollers 4 and 5 changes. Therefore, attention should be paid so that the large diameter portions at the opposite ends of the both rollers do not come in contact with each other, even when the rollers 4 and 5 come closest to each other. Hence, the tapered angle cannot be set large. However, since a resilient body is used at the peripheral portions of the both rollers 4 and 5, if the tapered angle is small, the peripheral faces of the rollers 4 and 5 come in contact with the recording plane of the disk 3. Therefore, there is a problem in that the effect of making the peripheral face of the roller a tapered surface cannot be obtained, and hence the recording plane cannot be prevented from being soiled or damaged.
As a solution for such problems, it can be considered that, as shown in FIG. 4, for example two guide rollers 4a and 4b having a tapered surface are arranged in parallel, and a carrier roller 5 is arranged therebetween. In this manner, even if the tapered angles of the rollers 4a, 4b and 5 are made large, there is no possibility that the large diameter portions of the guide rollers 4a, 4b and the carrier roller 5 come in contact with each other. Hence, the tapered angle of the rollers 4a, 4b and 5 can be set large, so that the peripheral faces of the rollers do not come in contact with the recording plane of the disk 3.
However, if two guide rollers are used as described above, the mechanism becomes complicated, and bearings for supporting each guide roller for rotation are also required, and hence the construction becomes further complicated. Also with an increase in the number of parts, the number of assembly processes also increases, thereby causing a problem of a cost increase.
Moreover, if the tapered angle of each guide roller is increased so as to avoid a contact with the disk, the space between the both guide rollers must be increased, thereby causing a problem in that unstable transport period until the disk 3 inserted from the guide roller 4a side reaches the guide roller 4b is extended.
In view of the above situation, it is an object of the present invention to reduce the number of parts to make it possible to manufacture a disk carrier device of a disk player carrier with a simple structure and at a low cost, in which a carrier roller has a tapered surface with the diameter thereof becoming smaller gradually from the opposite ends towards the center, there is provided a disk guide member integrally formed with a pair of tilted protrusions in the front and rear parts thereof which become gradually lower from the opposite ends towards the center, and the carrier roller is arranged between the pair of tilted protrusions to resiliently clamp the disk between the both tilted protrusions and the carrier roller to thereby carry the disk by the rotation of the carrier roller.
The disk carrier device of the disk player according to the present invention comprises a carrier roller having a tapered surface with the diameter thereof becoming smaller gradually from the opposite ends towards the center, and a disk guide member integrally formed with a pair of tilted protrusions in the front and rear parts thereof which become gradually lower from the opposite ends towards the center, wherein the carrier roller is arranged between the pair of tilted protrusions to resiliently clamp the disk between the both tilted protrusions and the carrier roller to thereby carry the disk by the rotation of the carrier roller.
With such a construction, since the pair of tilted protrusions integrally formed in the disk guide member serves as a guide roller, respectively, the disk guide member does not require a space for the diameter of a guide roller, compared to the case where the guide roller is used, and hence the space between the pair of tilted protrusions can be made short, and unstable transport state of the disk can be immediately dissolved.
Also, since the pair of tilted protrusions is integrally formed in the disk guide member, the number of parts can be reduced, to make the construction simple, and the disk can be carried stably, while protecting the recording plane of the disk.
If a recess for avoiding abutment with the large diameter portion of the carrier roller is provided between the pair of tilted protrusions of the disk guide member, the carrier roller can be easily arranged in close relationship with the pair of tilted protrusions.
If an opening is provided between the pair of tilted protrusions of the disk guide member, and this opening is used as the recess, the recess can be easily formed.
Alternatively, the space between the pair of tilted protrusions of the disk guide member is depressed, and this depression may be used as the recess. In this manner, the recess can be formed without decreasing the strength of the disk guide member.
If the disk guide member is formed by a metal plate, the disk guide member can be easily formed by press working. Also, the disk guide member can be made thin without decreasing the strength of the disk guide member. Moreover, by forming the pair of tilted protrusions by a synthetic resin and subjecting the disk guide member to an outsert molding, slidability between the disk and the pair of tilted protrusions can be improved.